Any nominations for good string sextets?
Given what board this is, I'll skip right over Brahms, and recommend Arnold Rosner's String Sextet "Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland". It's in his usual modal language, and is a serious work packed with interesting musical ideas. You can listen to snippets at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008BL8K/ (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008BL8K/)
For balance, I suggest you follow it up with the playfulness of Peter Schickele's sextet. Excerpts here: http://www.amazon.com/Schickele-Lark-Julia-Lichten/dp/B00000DCQS (http://www.amazon.com/Schickele-Lark-Julia-Lichten/dp/B00000DCQS)
-J
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Jim Moskowitz
The Unknown Composers Page: http://kith.org/jimmosk/TOC.html
My latest list of unusual classical CDs for auction: http://tinyurl.com/jimmosk
Dohnanyi or Korngold, maybe?
Dohnanyi's String Sextet is the work of a 16 year old, still a bit immature.
I would recommend Spohr (op 140) and Dvorak (op 48) both well written. Gliere has composed 3 sextets, of which the 3rd op 11 is the best in my opinion.
Less known but worth listening to are the sextets by Louis Glass and Hans Koessler. And yes, Joseph Holbrooke has written a Sextet as well.
Joachim Eggert wrote a fantastic string sextet.
Arnold Schönberg's "Verklärte Nacht" is not unsung but well worth remembering.
Gade's E-flat major Sextet, op. 44 (published 1865, between Brahms's opp. 18 and 36), is a substantial work that shows in it's deployment of motivic material and cogent developments the hand of a master composer, and in its phrasing (particularly the outer movements) that of a devoted follower of Mendelssohn. I think anyone who enjoys Mendelssohn's sunnier chamber music (keeping in mind that there's always the play of shadows in Mendelssohn-- even more so in Gade's sextet) will find the Gade very much to their liking.
Quote from: Glazier on Tuesday 27 April 2010, 05:47
Any nominations for good string sextets?
In addition to Gade, I would add Glinka and Gliere.
QuoteIn addition to Gade, I would add Glinka and Gliere.
Does Glinka have a string sextet? I am only aware of the Grand Piano Sextet.
Also Gliere has written three string sextets, I'm not sure all have been recorded (Op 11, the 3rd has several recordings, I'm not sure about the first two).
Here are some others you might like to try:
Boccherini wrote several nice ones.
Borodin (not complete, but quite lovely like all of Borodin's very limited output)
There are also string sextets worth exploring by:
Frank Bridge
Max Reger
Joachim Raff
Ludwig Norman
Julius Rontgen
Erwin Schulhoff
Andrzej Panufnik
Louis Glass
Eduard Franck (2)
Mihaly Mosonyi
Vincent D'Indy
Richard Strauss - String Sextet from Capriccio
in a more modern vein:
Charles Wuorinen
Bachara El-Khoury (not a traditional sextet it is for all violins, avail on Naxos arr for orch of 24 violins)
There don't seem to be many examples by British composers, but I would also recommend Holbrooke's String Sextet in D, Op.43 (Marco Polo 8.223736 or easily obtainable as a download). Stretching the remit slightly, the Piano Sextet in F sharp minor, Op.8 by William Sterndale Bennett (Marco Polo 8.223304 or ditto) is very attractive.
And then there is Antoni Stolpe...Not a String Sextet like the above mentioned, but his Scène dramatique pour violoncelle et quintette à cordes (Dramatic scene for cello and string quintet), lasting 13:29 minutes, leaves the listener begeistert.
There's also a string sextet by Rimsky-Korsakov, an early work. There's a recording on Czech label Praga. I don't have the recording, I'll have to get a copy. You can hear some short excpts here:
http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/rimsky-korsakov-string-sextet.htm
Quote from: John Hudock on Tuesday 27 April 2010, 16:19
QuoteDoes Glinka have a string sextet? I am only aware of the Grand Piano Sextet.
Sorry, I wasn't paying attention: that was the one I was thinking of.
QuoteAlso Gliere has written three string sextets, I'm not sure all have been recorded (Op 11, the 3rd has several recordings, I'm not sure about the first two).
I haven't heard the 1st, just broadcasts of the 2nd and 3rd.
Quote from: Hovite on Tuesday 27 April 2010, 19:33
Quote from: John Hudock on Tuesday 27 April 2010, 16:19
QuoteDoes Glinka have a string sextet? I am only aware of the Grand Piano Sextet.
Sorry, I wasn't paying attention: that was the one I was thinking of.
QuoteAlso Gliere has written three string sextets, I'm not sure all have been recorded (Op 11, the 3rd has several recordings, I'm not sure about the first two).
I haven't heard the 1st, just broadcasts of the 2nd and 3rd.
I believe one of the Gliere sextets has been recorded, on MDG along with the octet.
I recommend Reger's sextet too, though it wouldn't be on a shortlist of chamber works I'd recommend (not ahead of, say, the last string quartets, the string trios, the last violin sonatas, piano trio 2 or a few others. But it's still rather good. I think there's a recording on MDG and at least two others - I only know the one on Jecklin, which may no longer be available.)
Eric
Whoops, missed Mr. Hudock's mention of the Reger, apologies. Must second quite a few on his list, at that :)
Still haven't heard Raff's (G minor) myself yet - unfortunately. Only one recording that I know of!
There is one by Anton Rubinstein in D, but I believe it's as yet unrecorded. I skimmed the score briefly as I did his string quintet op.59 (but more briefly) about a decade ago by interlibrary loan, but not enough to get a real impression of it (unlike the quintet which seems quite good to me.) (I think I can also second Gade's as a very pleasant work to hear also :) Its score and/or parts, like that of Holbrooke's and some others, can be found linked at http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Sextet (http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Sextet).)
How about Molbe's SS (with db not 2vc) parts on IMSLP- any recordings?
Quote from: eschiss1 on Tuesday 27 April 2010, 23:34
There is one by Anton Rubinstein in D, but I believe it's as yet unrecorded. I skimmed the score briefly as I did his string quintet op.59 (but more briefly) about a decade ago by interlibrary loan, but not enough to get a real impression of it (unlike the quintet which seems quite good to me.)
I've collected Anton Rubinstein on CD's for years, but still haven't found his String Sextet in D Major, op. 97. So I wonder whether it has been recorded yet. I even wonder when his sextet has been performed where and when for the last time...
Quote from: Peter1953 on Wednesday 28 April 2010, 06:44
Quote from: eschiss1 on Tuesday 27 April 2010, 23:34
There is one by Anton Rubinstein in D, but I believe it's as yet unrecorded. I skimmed the score briefly as I did his string quintet op.59 (but more briefly) about a decade ago by interlibrary loan, but not enough to get a real impression of it (unlike the quintet which seems quite good to me.)
I've collected Anton Rubinstein on CD's for years, but still haven't found his String Sextet in D Major, op. 97. So I wonder whether it has been recorded yet. I even wonder when his sextet has been performed where and when for the last time...
I know of no recording of the string quintet either (except for a MIDI I made of the first movement...) Some of the piano trios and string quartets have been recorded but not all, I believe. ... Anyway.
Martinu's sextet is a good example of his style and a good piece, too. I haven't heard Milhaud's - only recorded once to my knowledge and on a CD without wide distribution, I believe ? - but imagine it to be typical of his fine muse...
Eric
Agree about Martinu; heard it on the radio the other day.
Any D'Indy fans out there? There are some good bits with harmonics.
Quote from: Glazier on Thursday 29 April 2010, 01:01
Agree about Martinu; heard it on the radio the other day.
Any D'Indy fans out there? There are some good bits with harmonics.
I'm very much a d'Indy fan, esp. of his chamber music (the first two string quartets, the violin sonata, other works.) The string sextet, if I remember and am not confusing it with someone else's, has this really wonderfully withdrawn (mystical?...) episode in the finale, in my opinion...
Eric
Feliks Dobrzynski - String Sextet (Acte Préalable) - beautiful romantic chamber work.
The score and parts to the Rubinstein Sextet have recentlly become available on IMSLP:
http://imslp.org/wiki/File:PMLP129041-Rubinstein_-_097_-_String_Sextet_-_cover.pdf
Likewise his string quintet, op.59:
http://imslp.org/wiki/File:PMLP129032-Rubinstein_-_String_Quintet,_Op._59_%28score%29.pdf
I can only hope that one day in the near future these works will be performed and recorded. A challenge for Toccata, Martin?
I've just heard the String Sextet in D Major by Alexandre Pierre François Boëly (1785-1858). Not early romantic as you might expect, but late classical. It's very pleasant chamber music, with a lot of tuneful melodies. Music that makes you feel relaxed, something for a rainy Sunday afternoon. I think most members will enjoy it.
Excerpts are here http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Pierre-Alexandre-Boely-Kammermusik/hnum/7746928 (http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Pierre-Alexandre-Boely-Kammermusik/hnum/7746928)
Arnold Krug wrote arguably the best String Sextet.
Composer Eduard Franck (1817–1893) also wrote 2 String Sextets, one of which can be heard on the Audite label.
The Krug is indeed a lovely work...
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Felix-Draeseke-Streichquintett-A-Dur/hnum/4642248 (http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Felix-Draeseke-Streichquintett-A-Dur/hnum/4642248)
Thanks for Krug hint. How about Behm's sextet- he was joint prize winner in the same competition.
That Krug slow movement is a stunner.
I have just been looking through the MertonMusic Catalogue of scores and note there are nearly forty sextets many from composers I have never heard of.
Giles Enders
Thanks to Silvertrust, You tube and IMSLPP we are in a golden era for unsungs, and sextets are no exceptions. I recently listened to Korngold almost impossible to play, but mesmerising, and Koessler's glorious one - Brahms cum Reger cum Strauss sound. Also Dessof's 2 vc quintet is splendid almost a parody of Brahms. What at pity Brahms didn't write a 2vc quintet.
Quote from: Glazier on Saturday 25 September 2010, 13:39
What at pity Brahms didn't write a 2vc quintet.
He did - after which he destroyed it in favor of a recast for 2 pianos (which he later on moulded into the famous piano quintet).
A fairly convincing reconstruction has been made by I believe an English musicologist, penned down in a bomb shelter during WW2 - or so the story goes. I have both recordings of this cello quintet, and turn to it more often than I do to the sonata for 2 pianos; I would not want to be without it. The credibility of the work is comparable to that of the nonet (Praga) which has been reconstructed from his 1st serenade - a sort of "refreshing" look on things. It remains guessing, of course, but educated guessing, nonetheless.
Borodin's sextet is quite beautiful, but only two movements survive.